Late offense propels Lady Spartans
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THROWING STRIKES — Waltonville/Sesser-Valier pitcher Elyssa Schoenbaechler throws the ball Tuesday against St. Bede.
Sentinel Photo/PAUL HINES
By PAUL HINES
phines@morningsentinel.com
WALTONVILLE — A flurry of offense in the sixth frame pushed the Lady Spartans to a 5-2 victory Tuesday against St. Bede Academy.
“We battled there at the end,” WSV coach John Kiselewski said. “We just preached the whole game we have to make adjustments at the plate.”
Elyssa Schoenbaechler helped Waltonville/Sesser-Valier start the game with a bang. The leadoff hitter drilled a solo home run over the left field fence off St. Bede pitcher Macy Strauch. That gave WSV a 1-0 cushion.
Strauch silenced the Lady Spartans’ bats until the sixth inning. After Schoenbaechler’s homer, the Lady Spartans had one hit before striking late.
With the game tied 1-1, WSV turned four hits into as many runs to rip the game open. Schoenbaechler started the inning with a single. Camree Patyski stepped to the plate with one out, and ripped a triple into the right field corner.
“Once she did that, it was 2-1, it was a little breathing room,” Kiselewski said. “We obviously had a girl on third with one out, and Annie Wangler got her in. Three to one for sure gave us some breathing room.”
The extra base hit gave the Lady Spartans the lead for good, and WSV was just getting started. Annie Wangler plated another run when she reached on an infield single to short. That moved the margin to 3-1. She later scored on a St. Bede error. Emersyn Wangler finished off the rally with a single to right field, which allowed a run to score.
The Lady Bruins got a run back in the bottom of the seventh.
Schoenbaechler pitched out of several jams throughout the game and stranded 10 runners. The sophomore struck out 11 batters and walked two in the game. WSV committed four errors in the contest creating additional traffic on the bases.
“She’s been really good for us this year at the plate and on the mound,” Kiselewski said. “She’s just a sophomore, but I think she’s learning a little bit to make every pitch count. And even when she’s given up a couple runs to try to limit the damage.”
WSV improved to 8-5 this season and hosts Goreville on Wednesday.
